LoveFamliyVacations

Thank you firefly333. That’s exactly what I wanted to know.

We sail on the Oasis in September with Sky Class Perks. Previously we only needed to reserve the Comedy Show in advance as all other venues had reserved seating for suites. Is this still the case or do we need to schedule all entertainment in advance? 

Does anyone know if they still offer this right outside the cruise Terminal? We went as a family of 4 about 20 years ago. For September trip, daughter is bringing BF who’s never been to Nassau and we thought this would be a good way to introduce him to the sites rather than a taxi tour. I’m currently recovering from an injury so a walking tour is out. Thoughts?

I’ve been very pleased with CK. Vacation truly starts for me when I sit in CK for lunch on Day 1, away from the chaos of WJ. Having a served breakfast with flowing coffee and servers who know I always have tomato juice & my DH has a very specific cereal, fruit & nut request is the best.

For dinner, Oasis CK can be rather noisy because of the open layout with the lounge. On Anthem CK is more intimate but beverage service slower since the bar was further away.

Although my next cruise with Royal is not until September, I am looking forward to the filet, the tuna with sesame, and the lobster salad!

Caution, though. I have Specialty dining for 2 complimentary & reserved for our party of 3. Charge went through for $ 29 for the additional diner at Bistro Sur La Mer. I then caused my own problem due to reading poor reviews of the Bistro. I cancelled this reservation & made one for CG & 1 for S. Was charged 29 x3 & 25 X 3.

Fast forward - my original $ 29 charge for Bistro was refunded by Princess but my poor TA is dealing with getting the credit back to me for the original 2 complimentary meals. 

I share this to help someone else avoid making extra work. Note to self - in the future read dining reviews prior to making reservation that uses complimentary dining.

We were on Anthem, which is also a Quantum Class, & no, free wine & soda is not available in Coastal Kitchen but it is a much quieter venue. On Oasis Class the free beverages are available because the Lounge and CK adjoin each other but the noise level is considerably louder.

On Anthem we just always got a drink to go in the Lounge & brought it to the CK.

Thanks for all of the responses. She is answering no & our bags are packed & ready to go.

My Health & Safety questionnaire just opened up for my cruise tomorrow. My daughter is a nurse and is going with us & sometimes has COVID patients on her floor. She has to wear full PPE in those rooms but it is luck of the draw as to which patients she gets.  Her COVID test was negative last night. She won’t be finished her shift until later tonight so I am anxious as to how she will answer the following question: « In the last 14 days, have you been in contact with someone….who has confirmed COVID-19? ». Does any one know what the ramifications are if she answers yes because of attending to a COVID patient on her shift?

Looking for clarification on drink vouchers. I understand they are a « gift » and can be given/shared with others. My question is how do I give them to my adult children to use later in the evening after we’re in for the night?

32 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I dont recall cococay beach club being free for any suite guest on any ship.   Was it free pre covid?

Coco Cay Beach Club has always been a cost. I’m just questioning what’s still so special about a suite other than the extra room.

10 minutes ago, Hutcha said:

sounds like you are star class vs sky this time (referencing drinks, UDP & internet). Is that the case? If so, I haven't heard that the genie's ability has been watered down.

We have 2 GS for family of 5 which is Sky Class. Sky Class gets faster internet but now that we’re Diamond we get the slower internet & could upgrade. As for drinks - 4 vouchers/person & lounge happy hour will just about cover us as Diamond.Giving up Coastal Kitchen if we downgraded to a balcony from a suite we’d instead add UDP & the drink package.

We definitely enjoy the extra space. Losing reserved seating is a loss for us of suite perks. I think what has me thinking is the new perks that come from Diamond status.

Let me start by saying I cannot wait to go on a cruise again with my family on Anthem 3/20/22. We are able to drive to  Cape Liberty & do not have to fly so this ship was very appealing. Also, this will be our 1st time being Diamond class & having drink vouchers.

Previously we sailed on Oasis in Sky Lofts and were used to the suite lounge having water, soda, beer & wine all day and the Coastal Kitchen providing drinks for lunch (wine & beer)  & all drinks at dinner since the restaurant connects to the lounge. 

It is my understanding that Anthem’s suite lounge will still have food out throughout the day but drinks other than coffee are only available in the evening. Since we have vouchers it does  diminish the “value” of the lounge for us.

COVID continues to change cruising as we knew it. The suite perk of early access onboard is  gone since everyone must now have a time slot. No need to make show reservations as a perk is also gone. I loved the ability to be flexible and  just go to a show spontaneously & access the reserved seating. Labadee has a special suite area with upgraded food for guests but on the Anthem itinerary everyone must pay extra to access the Beach Club on Coco Cay.

Please don’t flame me for being an elitist. I am willing to pay 4x more for my cabin for those perks but am seriously wondering how important a larger cabin is for us under these circumstances. Would I consider it a better experience if I booked 2 Balconies (smaller rooms), unlimited dining, drink package, upgrade to internet & Beach Club? Looking for positive comments to reinforce that I made the right choice. Regardless, I have a vacation coming up!!!!

Thank you all.

We are a family of 5 booked on Anthem for 3/20-3/27 cruise. Port Canaveral arrival time changed from 12:00 to 3:00PM. Already paid $ 74.99/person for ship kayak excursion with departure time of 2:30 for 4 hour tour. Obviously the tour will not leave at 2:30 if at all. Tour now shows a price of $ 66.99/person. Should I cancel & rebook for lower price or just leave it alone since I expect the entire excursion to be cancelled?

I have a 1 bedroom Grand Suite Guaranteed booked on the Anthem in March.  All 3 of us were on the initial reservation. The 3rd passenger was not entered later.

Considering a March 2022 Anthem of the Seas cruise from Bayonne. Will DD be able to use the FlowRider every day even if the weather is cold?

We had 3 in a cabin for a Celebrity sailing to Bermuda & DD could not go at the last minute. We did inform the cruise line and were reimbursed her port charges.

Just off Oasis on 1/12/20 and enjoyed the shortened version of Cats.  The Growl Tiger song was cut from the show.

We’re at breakfast now and asked our waiter. He wasn’t even aware that we diverted. Did overhear table next to us (Pinnacles) guessing it was one of their friends 

There was an announcement by the Captain around midnight but we couldn’t hear it in our cabin. This morning we woke up to the ship horn blasting, opened the curtains to see we were just pulling away from the pier in San Juan.  We’re supposed to be at sea.  Do any Cruise Critic members know what happened?

I just noticed from ***** that the Bliss appears to be hugging the East Coast.  Is this normal?

Answers for questions D/E:  Michaels offers more variety for drinks than the Suite Lounge as complimentary; however, we found a very accommodating waiter on Oasis who managed to get a “Sex on the Beach” and :Tequilla Sunrise” on 2 different occasions for our 23 yr. old DD.  Being nice helps.

“Parrot feathers” said they booked a JS.  JS can only have dinner at CK, not breakfast or lunch. They also cannot book in advance that’s why I suggested they immediately make reservations when they board.

If you want to eat at Coastal Kitchen for dinner make sure to place reservations ASAP.  We were in a Loft Suite and received an email from the Concierge 1 week prior to our cruise.  We asked for standing reservations for 6PM which were accommodated easily.  If there are a number of Pinnacle guests on your sailing they could bump you and there will be no availability for you.

We were on a Holland America cruise to Norway last May with our then 22 year old daughter and loved Oslo.  It is a very walkable city that you can do on your own.  We took the ferry to see the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History and enjoyed walking through the neighborhoods to get there. The museum is spread out over many acres with many buildings to explore, including a Stave Church (great to see if you have any Disney Frozen fans) and lots of farm animals. We then went to the Akershus Fortress (again, if you have any Frozen fans, worthwhile to see) and the Resistance Museum (husband is a fan of WW II history).  Lots of walking but so worthwhile.